LaurePetitqueux

Hi people,

As retailer, I want to know if the regular shops will disappear because of the success of the online shops?

Please join the discussion.

chuckievee

I am willing to pay more for some stuff in a bricks and mortar store just because I like to see and feel what I am going to buy. I also like instant gratification so I like to walk out of the store with my item and not wait days for it to arrive.

Also depending on where you are buying the item, say off of Ebay, there is no telling you are getting what you are paying for. Instead of new you get a refurb item or a returned item the person bought to resell. Walking into a store I know what I am buying.

The other thing people forget is if you have to return an item it can be a real hassle to take the item to the UPS or Fedex location to ship it back as well as getting the RMA from the vender. Then you can wait 2-3 months for the refund to show on your credit card depending on your billing cycle.

As a former owner of a B&M store I hated when people just used me for my knowledge and then bought online to save a few dollars. Some would come to me for instructions on how to use the item or to solve a problem for them. I would refuse to help them and told them to go back to whoever sold them the item for help. Had to make them feel their pain to save a few bucks.

Brick & Mortar stores are here to stay. If a federal internet sales tax is enacted in the US, online stores will lose their sales tax advantage. By the time you add sales tax and shipping fees, local stores will become very competitive with online pricing.

Just my .02........

Emily Abbes

Hi,

I'd say, it is not going to affect regular stores, however it is going to provide an opportunity to retailers to earn money online as well as offline. Businesses like restaurant has its great impact.